The easiest way to differentiate athletic socks would be based on their functional properties; warmth, breathability and moisture repellence. Besides providing protection against ground reactive and shearing forces acting on your feet during sporting activities, athletic socks can also provide benefits in regards to keeping your feet warm, dry and/or cool. The type of fibers that the athletic sock is constructed from can make all the difference when considering the function or purpose of the sock. Fibers which are designed to absorb moisture are termed hydrophilic socks, while fibers which are designed to repel moisture are termed hydrophobic. Cotton fibers retain 3x the amount of moisture as acrylic (synthetic) fibers and about 14x the amount of moisture as the CoolMax® brand of wicking socks. When comparing the amount of moisture that socks retain, cotton tops the list followed by; wool, acrylic, CoolMax® and finally polypropylene (in that descending order). Lets break down the various types of athletic socks based on the characteristics of warmth, moisture absorbence and moisture repellence (wicking).
Socks for moisture absorption: Cotton
These types of socks compress with more ease, compared to synthetic fibers such as acrylic and CoolMax® brands of socks. When cotton socks are wet due to perspiration, they will swell and absorb about 45% of the sweat from your feet.
Pros: Inexpensive
Cons: When wet, stretch and lose shape which can lead to wrinkling, discomfort and/or blistering in sneakers
Socks for warmth: Wool
The Sigvaris brand of wool socks contains itch free, anti-microbial, thermo-regulating fibers. The cushion properties of this sock prevent against blister formation. Wool socks of this nature absorb about 35% of their weight in water, but still allow for the movement or wicking of water
Pros: Warmth, moderate moisture transport, prevents blisters
Cons: Reduced drying time
Socks for moisture repellence: Synthetic
The CoolMax® brand of athletic socks have a high wicking potential or breathability, meaning they repel moisture and sweat well. Because of the cross-sectional nature of these fibers, which consist of four channels, CoolMax® is able to transport water with much greater efficiency. When comparing the water repellent properties of athletic socks, fibers which wick moisture ranked from best to worst are: CoolMax®, acrylic, polypropylene, wool, cotton.
Pros: Keep feet dry
Cons: Cannot be used in cold temperatures, less warmth when wet